Sarah Heck, 33, of Raymond jokes that ultra-runners must have bad short-term memories, they forget about the pain once the race is over.
“During the races I always have these moments when I’m like, ‘why do I do this?'” Heck said Tuesday, after completing a 50-mile race at Pineland Farms in New Gloucester on Sunday. By the time the race finished, she was already planning ahead to the next race, the NipMuck Trail Marathon in Ashford, CT on June 1. “I think it does become addictive,” Heck said.
Over 400 runners gathered on a beautiful Memorial Day weekend for the third annual Pineland Farms Trail Challenge. Individuals from over 23 states competed in 15.5-mile, 31.1-mile, and 50-mile trail races. There was also a four-kilometer Canicross race, in which individuals ran with their dogs.
This year was the first for the 50-mile distance, said co-director Erik Boucher. Ultra-running is a growing sport, Boucher said, bringing together people of all ages to complete distances more than the 26.2 miles of a marathon. Boucher started the race because he believed Maine needed a spring event for ultra-runners. There are only two other ultra-races held in the state, one in Brunswick in October and the other on Great Cranberry Island in July.
“This race has made a big impression on people in the region,” Boucher said about the Pineland race, adding that he and co-director Ian Parlin are trying to unite the trail running and ultra running communities.
Heck, who works as a lawyer, has been running since 2004. Since then she has completed five 50-mile races, four 50-kilometer races, and one 100-mile race. She runs trail marathons as well, but doesn’t like road races. Heck said she likes the camaraderie of ultra-running and she likes being out on the trails. Heck also said she isn’t an especially fast runner. “You can be a slower runner and still feel like you’re accomplishing something,” Heck said. “Just to finish means so much.”
Heck said ultra-running is more of a psychological challenge than a physical one. Boucher agreed, saying, “anyone who can do a marathon can do a 50K and anybody who can do a 50K can eventually do a 50-miler.”
Mike Brooks, 61, of Auburn completed the 50-kilometer race on Sunday. Since he started running in 1992, Brooks has completed 222 marathons and ultra-races, up to six days in length. Just in the month of May, Brooks ran four marathons before Sunday’s race. “I’m feeling it,” Brooks said. “I’m getting older and slower.” Brooks said he feels compelled to continue racing. He travels all over the country, and even internationally, to run long distances.
Brooks previously sought sponsorship for races and donated the proceeds to Camp Sunshine in Casco. In 2004 he raised around $26,000 for the camp through sponsors for the Badwater ultra-marathon, which traverses 135 miles starting in Death Valley, California and ending at an elevation of 8360 feet at the trailhead to Mt. Whitney.
Overall winners of the 15.5-mile race were Mandy Ivey, 20, of South Paris, who completed it in 1:54:14 and Patrick Dwyer, 36, of Waltham, MA who finished the race in 1:42:23. For the 31.1-mile distance, Juli Davenport, 33, of Framingham, MA came in at 4:10:58 and Dave Hannon, 37, of West Roxbury, MA finished in 3:42:18. Winners for the 50-mile race were Aliza Lapierre, 27, of Tilton, NH who finished in 7:42:30 and Leigh Schmitt, 35, in Conway, MA who came in at 6:35:28. For the Canicross race, Ed Clifford, 42, of Raymond, NH finished at 14:26 and Brittany Colbath, 15, of Gilford, NH came in at 21:14.
For Sunday’s race a portion of the proceeds from entry fees were donated to the Pineland YMCA. The Gray and New Gloucester Football Booster Club hosted a post-race barbeque with donated beer from Mercury Brewing Company of Ipswich, MA and gelato from Maple’s Organics of Portland.
“It’s amazing what they have done with that race,” Brooks said.
Runners begin the 25-kilometer, or 15.5-mile race, at Pineland Farms in New Gloucester.
Ying Mao of Medford, MA finishes the 50-mile Pineland Farms Trail Challenge Sunday. “It’s fun. It’s a challenge,” Mao said after the race, adding that getting out to train every day is the hardest part.
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